Social media is more crowded than ever. Millions of brands are posting content daily and simply having a large following just isn’t enough anymore. You could have hundreds, thousands, even millions of followers, and sure those massive numbers look good on paper, but if they aren’t engaged, don’t trust you or aren’t genuinely interested in what you do, they’re just numbers on a screen and they won’t support you past a double tap. They’re just what they look like- numbers.
What actually matters is building loyalty within those followers but how do you do that? That’s the 1% question that we’re here to answer today…
Ever followed someone who posts a lot but never replies to DMs or comments? It feels kind of distant… Social media should be about connecting with people, not just broadcasting your sales pitch to them. As a rule of thumb, think of engaging with your audience like you’d engage with a human rather than with a brand. People don’t want to feel like they’re just part of an audience, they want to feel like they belong there. That means treating them like real people rather than engagement metrics, and the best way to do that? Actually engage back with them:
- If someone takes the time to comment on your post, respond to them! And not just a quick emoji reply, actually acknowledge them, converse with them and make them feel seen.
- The same as above goes for DMs. If someone reaches out, don’t ignore it. A simple response can turn a casual follower into a loyal customer.
- If you want a supportive community, you need to be part of one yourself. Don’t just engage on your own posts, interact with other people’s content too.
Beyond engagement, creating conversations and not just posts is key. If your social media presence is just you talking at people instead of with them, you’re missing the point. People love to share their thoughts and if they feel like their voice matters in your space, they’re more likely to stick around. Ask their opinions, get their feedback and encourage discussions on your channels- polls, question stickers and open-ended captions are all great ways to make your audience feel more involved.
Would you stay in a friendship where the person only pops up once every few months but expects you to stay close? Probably not. Your social media presence works in the same way.
Consistency builds trust. This doesn’t mean you have to post every single day, but disappearing for weeks on end makes it hard to keep people engaged. Figure out a posting schedule that works for you and stick to it. Even if you’re not posting daily, make sure you’re checking your accounts, liking other posts and responding to comments to keep your account active without the pressure of constantly having to create content. Find the balance between showing up enough to stay relevant but not so much that you burn yourself and your audience out with too many posts.
Offer value to your audience, not just value for yourself. If all you do is promote yourself, people are going to lose interest fast. Think about what your followers actually want to gain from following you. Are you teaching them something? Inspiring them? Making them laugh? Helping them with a problem? If your content benefits them in some way, they’re going to keep coming back. This doesn’t mean you can’t promote your work but there should be a balance. It’s a ‘give more than you take’ situation where when people feel like they’re getting something valuable from you, they’re more likely to stay engaged and invested in your brand.
People don’t connect with perfectly curated brands, they connect with real humans. In a world that’s full of overly polished content, being genuine stands out and a bit of personality will go far. Talk to your audience like you would a friend and not like a brand that’s trying to sell something.
Another way to strengthen your community is to make your audience feel like insiders. This could be as simple as sharing behind-the-scenes content, sneak peeks of upcoming projects or letting them in on your creative process. If it fits within your strategy, share user-generated content or ask for their input on decisions to make them feel included. In turn, they’re more likely to stay engaged and invested in your brand.
It’s also important to focus on long-term relationships rather than just growth. 1000 engaged followers are so much more valuable than 10,000 inactive ones. It can be tempting to chase numbers: more followers, more likes, more reach, right? Wrong! Because if those numbers aren’t connecting with you, they won’t like or see your content to interact with it so then what’s the point? Instead of focusing on getting more followers, place some focus on building your connection with the ones you already have. Appreciate the people who consistently show up for you, acknowledge your loyal supporters and never take your community for granted because these are the people who contribute to your business’s long-term success.
When you treat your followers like a community rather than just a number, they’ll support you not just because they like your content, but because they feel seen, heard and valued. That’s what truly matters to them! You could post amazing content every day but if it feels like a constant sales pitch, they’ll steer away from you. A loyal community is something that lasts, and that’s the real winner when it comes to building a brand that will continue on the up. Loyalty breeds consistent growth.